Gazette 2014 defensive player of the year

Phillip Gardner

Wednesday

Dec 31, 2014 at 12:01 AMDec 31, 2014 at 1:59 PM

Darian Roseboro, Lincolnton

6-5, 285-pound senior defensive end

What he did: With many teams trying toavoid him, Roseboro recorded 123 tackles, nine sacks, 18 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries. And he did all this while rarely leaving the field because he played a bigger role on offense than ever. Lining up in the backfield in Lincolnton’s straight-T offense, Roseboro carried 237 times for 1,400 yards and a staggering 35 touchdowns. Throw in a pair of two-point conversions and Roseboro scored 214 points, third-most in Lincoln County history and 14 from the record set in 2011 by East Lincoln’s Bubba McDowell. Roseboro capped the season by playing in the Shrine Bowl.

How the team fared: Roseboro led Lincolnton to an 11-3 record, second-place finish in the Southern District 7 Athletic 2A Conference and third-round appearance in the 2AA state playoffs.

From the coach: “He didn’t want to come out of the game,” Lincolnton coach Scott Cloninger said. “He wanted to play the whole time. He was so valuable on the offensive side of the ball that we had to play him both ways.”

What’s next: Roseboro has committed to N.C. State as a defensive end.

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